From the very beginning, God had one burning desire, to create a community of people rightly related to Himself and rightly relating to one another in such a way that their presence would be a blessing to the surrounding world. And sometimes, God’s strategy for fulfilling His plan to create a special community of people who will bless the surrounding world seems very strange indeed.
God chose to pursue His goal by lighting a torch and handing
it to a human being, with the understanding that the person holding the torch
would, in turn, pass it to someone else before he died. Abraham passed it to
Isaac who passed it to Jacob. Moses passed it to Joshua. Eli passed it to
Samuel. Jesus would eventually pass it to the Twelve. Late in his life, Paul
would pass it to Timothy.
More than likely, you’re reading this blog because someone
passed the torch to you. And the question you must answer is now. Will you pass
it to someone else before you die?
In their conversation in the cave, YHWH told Elijah it was
time for him to pass the torch to someone else. So that’s precisely what he did
with Elisha, even though Elisha was something of an unlikely candidate.
When Elijah found Elisha, the latter was ploughing in the
field. The prophet went to Elisha and handed him a cloak as a way of inviting
him to be an apprentice. This was probably difficult for Elijah for a number of
reasons.
First, it meant that Elijah would no longer be the only
prophet. Up until then, Elijah had been the man of God, now he would be one of
the men of God. You have to figure that required some humility on his part.
It might also have been difficult for Elijah because of
Elisha’s great wealth. Elijah the Tishbite from Tishbe was from the other side
of the tracks, and sometimes not having much can breed suspicion about
wealthier people.
Elijah had depended on birds to bring him food. He had
relied on a widow with just enough flour and oil to make a single loaf of
bread. It might have been easy for him to look at Elisha and say, “God, You’ve
made a mistake. There’s no way this guy is going to give up all that stuff to
pursue the lifestyle of a prophet. I’m not even going to ask.”
But he did ask. Because the man of God stopped one day to
have a conversation with a wealthy farmer about volunteering for a ministry,
widows and servants and kings and whole armies were changed forever, all
because he simply asked.
Is there someone in your life who you think is such an
unlikely candidate for God’s program that you’ve been saying no for them?
Maybe that person is the best choice of all.
Dear Lord, I ask for the grace to be winsome and attractive
to others who wish to know You better. May they sense the fragrance of Christ
in me and see increasing evidence of the fruit of Your Holy Spirit in my life.
I know this is only possible as I pursue You and apprentice myself to Jesus by
following Him wherever He leads. Show me the people You want to touch through
me, and grant me the willingness to love and serve them with no hidden agendas
or manipulative expectations. I wish to impart what You have so freely given me
to the people You have called me to bless. May I become a conduit of Your love
and grace and never an end in myself. I know that as I give myself to others I
will discover the true satisfaction and spiritual wealth that You encourage me
to pursue.
No comments:
Post a Comment